European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 24, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Abc braces for cd so Letterman led late night move by Bill Carter the new York times the Barb Competition Between David ocl Turman and Jay Leno to determine who will be the leading Star of late night television will get. All the Public attention Between now and the night they face off in August. But for the networks involved the first round of the Competition has already provided one definite result Abc did t win. That a no Surprise. Abc executives readily described the networks tortured negotiations with Letterman As a textbook example of the no win situation. No matter which Star Abc eventually chose As Host of the tonight show the network would end up in the minus column Down one Star from its current hugely profitable late night lineup. For lbs the position was the reverse. Said Howard Stringer president of lbs broadcast group and Engineer of the Letterman capture Quot i had been assured by our salespeople that we could not lose on this the difference came Down to which network had everything to gain and which had everything to lose. Abc As the network that has controlled late night to faced it situation where a profit base a $75 million to $100 million annually a would be eroded by the expense of keeping Letterman. Thus the network was reluctant to spend As freely As lbs which has no history of successful late night programming and Felt that establishing a new franchise there was Worth almost any Price. Even at the Price a $42 million Over three years a lbs has pledged to pay Letterman the network is confident it will make Money. Any significant profit lbs makes in late night is a plus Over the marginal profit it makes from its lineup of late night crime shows. If Letterman lives up to cd so expectations Stringer said a the upside will be though he would not cite profit goals for late night television executives estimate that Letterman could generate $20 million to $40 million in profits if his show becomes a hit. Leno goes into the Competition with certain advantages for Abc. The tonight show is the coca cola of late night the Brand name the Staple. The number of stations carrying his show at 11 30 will Dwarf what lbs can initially put together for Letterman. And Leno a ratings have been Strong especially in the last few months. His likeability a a Quality that can never be overvalued on television a remains an important asset. His gracious comments about Letterman on the show two weeks ago were typical. Still the network faces another serious. Problem what to do at 12 30 .? Abc says its most celebrated late night producer lome Michaels of saturday night live agreed to create a program to fill the Letterman Slot. But a Host is nowhere in sight. The Man Abc hoped to hire Dana Carvey one of Michaelso stars on saturday night live is now considered unlikely to accept it. The danger for Abc is that its stations which May be willing to stay Loyal to Leno at 11 30, could begin to look for More profitable syndicated shows to fill the 12 30 hour. That would be disastrous for Abc which Sells its late night shows a including Lazerwith Bob Costas at 1 30 As a package. President and mrs. Clinton on inaugural night. Grows fast by Howard Rosenberg los Angeles times u Ere you Ever Little a the question so refreshingly innocent and free of guile was relayed to Bill Clinton on tuesday by americans pre eminent youth maven mister Rogers himself. It came from a child during a kids quiz the president elect telecast on the Disney Channel that was the most Heartfelt event in the Long noisy stretch of pre inaugural Iii activities. Having fun Clinton admitted to his mainly Young audience that Many years ago he had indeed been Little he is in fact a despite the Lincoln esque anecdotes obscenely lavished on him during tuesday nights inaugural gala on lbs a the Only chief executive in re. Cent times you can actually imagine having been a youth. But you can understand How from a child s Point of View they might be sceptical Given the size of the office Clinton was acquiring and the pomp and the partying that accompanied his Assumption of Power. The final stage of that process a wednesday s swearing in and its four hours of foreplay a was one of those occasions when having Access to television was essential. It was one of those unusual times when television a medium of the moment waxed historical. It was also one of those rare instances when the medium integrated religion into its Agenda without snickering. You Felt yourself glowing along with the new president and his family. And the moment a arcing the morning like a Rainbow a was exhilarating. Its True that the inaugural at its Core signified the tight raiding of politics and government. The real. World away from the fun and pretentious Rhc topic intercedes immedi. Atchly. Plus the connection Between a successful inaugural and a successful presidency is traditionally a very slight a a political scientist bar Bara Kotlerman noted wednesday morning on pcs. Yet there was Someth ing unique being unfurled on eight channels an old glory kind of Day that transcended Mere spectacle. A what you have just witnessed a abcs Peter Jennings observed eloquently about the Serene Transfer of Power a is the envy of the Well at least most of the world. Televisions Early morning overture began with coverage of the Clinton and Gores attending music filled into Faith services at the metropolitan african methodist episcopal Church in Washington in the presence of music of any kind Clinton is inevitably reduced to a quivery mass. Heaven help the United states if Saddam Hussein Ever learns to play the trumpet. Inside the Church Clinton validated this Rcpt tation responding to the music euphoric ally his body swaying his jaw thrust Forward his Mouth open As if he were in some sort of trance. A a it a like he a catching Flics a impressionist Jim Morris joked later on abcs Good morning America. Are these humanizing episodes truly unguarded moments on the part of Clinton or Are they performances the stagecraft of a Man who can sense televisions Eye scrutinizing him one does no to Jinow. In any event you found yourself searching for Small things nuances. At the Church no cd a camera caught a tear rolling Down Clinton a Check. At another Point he reached Over and grasped the hand of his wife Hillary. After a rousing Sermon moreover an emotional seemingly moved Gore Shook his head and muttered a a whew himself. He instinctively started to Rise to his feet to Lead a standing ovation then appeared to hesitate As if not wanting to stand before Clinton then Rose anyway followed by Clinton. Later after Clinton and still president Bush had chatted at the White House and their motorcade had finally arrived at its destination there was a feast of people watching including government bigwigs galore and Hillary Clinton and Tipper Gore almost mummified in their heavy Winter outfits. Even Jack Nicholson was in the Vicinity of the platform having made the ultimate sacrifice by choosing the inauguration Over wednesday night s lakers Home game with the Seattle supersonics it was also a feast for lip readers. A i love you Quot Clinton said to his daughter Chelsea after being sworn in As the nations 42nd president. If his speech seemed almost Anticlimactic the rest of the Day a from Maya Angelou s electrifying inaugural poem to the traditional inaugural Parade a applied a big bold exclamation Point to the history that was being a chopper carried George and Barbara Bush to Andrews Asp where they boarded air Force two. Soon they were off to Texas a flying away from the burdens of the White House away from the editorial Page caricatures away from the comedians impressions and one liners a heading toward a life of relative serenity and writing memoirs. And like Angelou a River that a Sang and sings on a Clinton was off to his new career off to join the Parade off to Greet the throngs lining Pennsylvania Avenue off to the evenings inaugural balls called by history to cure the nations ills and right its wrongs. Little no longer. January 24,1993 sunday a Page 11
